Golf putting game device



Sept. 2, 1952 R. F. KOENER 2,609,199

GOLF PUTTING GAME DEVICE Filed Nov. 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l NOV.

RALPH F. KOE N ER Zmvemor Gttomegi FIG-.2

Sept. 2, 1952 R. F. KOENER GOLF PUTTING GAME DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1948 RALPH F. KOEN ER 3noentor Gttomeg5 P 1952 R. F. KOENER 2,609,199

GOLF PUTTING GAME DEVICE Filed Nov. 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 RALPH FL KOEN ER 3m entor C(ttornegf;

Patented Sept. 2, 1952 GOLF PUTTING GAME DEVICE Ralph F. Koener, Chicago, Ill. Application November 2, 1948, Serial No. 57,953

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to the general art of the amusement or game devices, and more particularly to a golf puttin game device.

My device consists essentially of a putting strip of compact size, having convenient, electrically operated teeing and scoring means.

Since the inception and throughout the later development of golf itself as one of the favorite pastimes in this country, there have been many devices developed which have attempted to simulate all or part of the game. Many of these devices have tried to do this and, at the same time, confine it to a small area so that it could be played in the home or club room. v

The approach to the hole, or putt, after the golfer has reached the green, is recognized as one of the most vital shots in the game of golf and necessitates even the expert keeping in constant practice. Many inventors have tried to simulate this part of thegame but have felt it necessary to resort to trick warped surfaces, multiple scoring cups of unusual shapes and. labyrinthswhich, of necessity, have made the device a game of chance having little resemblance to golffand have compelled the player to resort to trick shots which, instead of improving his golf game, have had a harmful effect.

The elimination of these and other difficulties has contributed to the development of my device and, therefora one of the principal objects of my invention is to offer the golfenthusiast a device which closely simulates actual conditions encountered on the golf. course, has a playing surfacewh'ich closely resembles the short cropped grass of aregulation green and has a standard size cup and uses regulation balls and clubs.

A: further object of my invention is the provis'ion of a positive scoring mechanism which tab ul'ates by means of visual registration each ball correctly propelled into the scoring cup.

' A further object of my invention is the provision of a quick acting ball delivery mechanism to tions and'the attached drawings, or maybe c mprehended 'or a're inherent in the'same. I

1 Referringto the drawingsf 7 Figure l is ajpe spective viewshowing a preferred form of; a golf'putting game device made afterthe teachings of my present invention;

on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; r

Figure 2 is a wirin diagram developed in conjunction with my device;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of my putting strip;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken Figure 5 is a partial section in plan view taken along the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a preferred form of my ball delivery and teeing mechanism with various parts broken away for clarity, and

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the ball transporting chute. v

Referring tothe drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like parts, the numeral l0 generally designates the playing surface of my golf puttin game. This I prefer to form in three parts; the rectangular players platform [2, the rectangular object surface or target area I4, spaced apart from and at a higher level than the players platform, and the connecting ramp l6, all rigidly joined and supported by suitable framing members.

The players platform I2 is covered on its opposite sides with a rubber matting or the like and has let into it at the center a rectangular teeing area 18 suitably covered with a long pile carpet which closely approximates the short cropped grass of the conventional green. It is from this teeing area that the player drives the balls as they are delivered by a ball delivery mechanism. The ball delivery mechanism is housed in a suitable space provided'below the teeing area l8.

Beneath the players platform I provide an electrically operated means for teeing-up successive balls for use of the player. The location of this mechanism is shown in smaller scale in Figure 4. Vertically disposed within the center of area I8 is the ball delivery tube 20. This tube has disposed for reciprocation therein, a piston 22, which piston is surfaced with a section of the high pile carpeting 24, identical with that used on the playin surfaces. Piston 22 is provided with diametrically opposed trunnions 26 which are adapted for reciprocation within slots 28 cut in the tube 20. Disposed within tube 20 and bearing on the underside of piston 22 is a helical spring 30. This spring has one primary function, and that is to prevent the entry of balls underneath the piston when the sameis in an upper position. It is not needed for the functioning of the piston which is fully under control of an electrically controlled mechanism.

To perform its function satisfactorily, the ball delivery mechanism must employ operating means for piston 22 which Will insure that the piston will come to rest and be supported with the upper covering 24 of the piston substantially flush with the covering of the tee area [8. A very satisfactory mechanism for this object is shown in Figure 6 wherein a lever 32 is pivotally supported as at 34 from the fixed bracket 36. This lever, as a matter of convenience, I have shown made of two pieces of metal, which are spread at their ends to provide the spaced pivots on shaft or pin 34;at-one end, and at the opposite end they are spread so as to encircle tube 20, with adequate clearance to insure the movement of lever 32 about its pivots, throughout the full range of movement. Inasmuch as pivot 34 is fixed, it becomes necessary to provide links, as 38, which will take care of the longitudinal displacement of the outer pivot- 40 as the lever swings in its arc. A convenient'way in which to operate lever 32 is to provide an electric motor 42 and then to connect it through a suitable reduction gear; as the worm. andworm gear shown at 44 and 45, to a crank 46. This crank termimates in a roller 48, which is. adapted for movement. in a longitudinal-slot or guideway 50 formed in the lever 32. This is a desirable movement in that, bythe'use or a crank arrangement and due to the angularity of. this crank and the movement otthelever which follow the general principles of crank mechanisms, the piston is started gradually as it. accepts a golf ball, and. whenit reaches the: upper. limit of itstravel the crank 46. has reached the upper limit of its travel, and the slowing. down of the piston is automatically achieved, so; that there. is no. tendency to project theIballupwardly as might. occur with a. quick stopping. piston, andthus, displace it from the tee position. In order to insure thatthe mechanism will-remain .inits uppermost position, I provide the limit switch. 52,.which has a.contact member which is, in turn, engaged. by the lever. 32v as it: reaches its upper limit. Operation of. this switch interrupts the currentto electric motor 42, and as the gearingis non-reversible, as shown, the mechanism comes to rest and is heldrfirmlyin its: uppermost position. This is an essential characteristicfor holding the ball duringthe stroking operation.

When the player strikes the teed-up ball, his play for the cup or hole 56 requires the same general technique that he would employwhen. puttingon a green, the only exceptionbeing that the ramp portion [6 is included so that he mustv drive with considerable force, such as though he-were makinga relatively long putt. If the player is successfulin. his putt. and drops his ball into cup 56; theballdrops through into the funnel-like collector 58, and' is thendischarged out the downw-ardly sloped tube 60-, past an electric counter 62. This counter, being in efiect. an electric switch, will, through a counting mechanism which .willbe describedv later, cause a light to be lit'in the illuminated scoring device; shown genorally as 64 .Ifthe player does not sink his putt, the ball will normally come to rest. somewhere upon the. surface-14, or it will gointo the gutter which surrounds the target. area 14 on three sides. The side portions of the gutters, as 65 and 6,1,..slope. in the direction of the cup end of my device, consequently, any ballsfalling. in the gutten will,.by gravity, be carried up to the:leftehand endas viewed inFiguresB, 4 andv 5, where they will be collected into. the tapering chute. .69, and will be arrested by the ball-arresting unit at H.

.If on the other hand, the ball actually comes .td-reston surface l4, it will be observed as from Figure 1, that it would be inconvenient for the player to reach up and dispose of the ball, consequently, I have provided an electrically operated clearing swipe I2, operated by an electric motor unit 14, that is comparable to the type of swipe normally used on automobiles, except that in this instance it is necessary that the swipe be specially geared so that it will achieve a fully 180 degree movement and be so energized that it'will make only'one stroke .andar'eturn to its position of rest. Inasmuch as I have" designed my Golf Putting Device as a training device or game of skill, and not a gambling game, it is desirable that any ball that comes to rest upon surface I4 immediately be disposed of. I have further provided, if while the swipe motor 14 is being operated and a ball should be accidentally knocked into cup 56, that through my electrical arrangement shown schematically in Figure 2, the scoring device 62 will be inoperative during that period and willnot score the. accidentally pocketed ball.

To transport the balls .from the arresting, point 19 to the ball delivery tube 20, I provide a chute or conveyor formed after the showing of Figures 4 and. '7, in which a plurality of preferably round rods- 16 are employed to carry the ball. Further, I provide side rods as 11, so as to at all times insure that the balls will ride on the supporting rods 15. With special reference to Figure 4, it is to be noted that the ball transporting chute is provided with a starting portion 19 which is relatively steep so that the balls will be given a quick initial start, then a more gradual sloping portion is. provided .so that the. balls will have a chance to gradually slow down until they are stopped finally by spring 30. .Just near the delivery opening 23, in tube 20, I provide a second steeply pitched portion 82'.

Method of operation In using my practice equipment it is first necessary that the electric current be turned into the machine If the equipment is installed .in a private home, or the like, this may be achieved by merely operating a manual electric. switch. If the equipment is in a public or semi-public place where revenue is derived from the machine .to amortize its purchase or its maintenance, then a coin box, as 84, may be provided which,..in turn, will have an electric switch which will. be closed by the introduction of a coin. In the wiringj diagramI have indicated such a switch at 86. In some convenient position, as on the pillar a'L'Iprovide push-buttons 88 and 89. As soon as electriccontact is made, at switch 86, a sequence of operations take place. First, the balls, which have been collected and .held by the ball arrester H, are now released and start down the ball conveyor 80. At the. same time the step switch scoring mechanism 90. is reset. to zero, thereby extinguishing any ofthe lights 64. that. may have. been lighted by the previous players Details ofv the. structure of. this scoring mechanism 9B are not. shown as it may be any oneof a. number of units readily available on the market. I have found it verydesirable in the interest of assuring the. proper. ball handling-of my. equipment, .to provide that motor. 42. cannot. be started. from the position of. holding lever; 32 up against stop or limit switch 52 until the balls are released at II, have. progresseddownwardly, and have tripped the ball delivery control switch at 93. It, therefore, follows that untilthe micro.- switch. 93v is. tripped. by balls. resting uponits centr i-ieve'r szginotor 4: cannot be started. As

soon 'as' th' bal'ls are in position, however, pressure on th'e "deliverymotor push-button 88 will start"motor 42, and "arm 32 will-be dropped to its lower most position, at w'hich'time aball may pass'through opening 23 in tube20,andcome to rest on 1 the upper surface of piston 22. One

depressionofthe. starting button-88 energizes the motor "until its cycle is completed and the currentiis interrupted by the limit switch 52. At this time the ball is in its upper-most position, afte'r the showing of Figure 4, ready to be stroked. .If the stroke should be such as to leave the ball resting luponrthe scoring area l4, the, player may, .by depressing the second push-button 89, energize the'swipe, which should be equipped with asuitable, lock-in circuit, so that it will make timesit is indicated to the player the number of putts that he has sunk. The scoring mechanism is electrically'operated and, when all balls have been usedand the master switch 86 again closed, the score mechanism is cleared, ready for continued play.

--Ope ratio1t of electrical units The circuit diagram of Figure 2 shows the electrical relationship and operational features of the invention. The alternating current power is applied to the terminals marked 110 v., thus supplying energy to the primary of transformer F, the scoring solenoid 95, the ball serving or delivery motor 42, and. the illuminating lamps G, through the master switch H. The secondary J of transformer F supplies energy to the sweep motor 14, the ball release solenoid 16, the counting relay94, the clearing relay 98, and the motor control relay K. The secondary L of transformer F supplies energy to the clearing solenoid 96. The secondary M. of transformer F supplies energy to the score indicating lamps 64. v Prior to insertion of a coin, all balls played in aprevious game are. held in storage in the region 69 of Figure 4 by the gate or ball arrester mechanism H. The gate "H is actuated by the ball release solenoid 16, Figure 2. Upon inserting a coin, contacts 86, Figure 2,: are closed momentarily thereby energizing relay 98. Upon bemg energized, relay 98 closes its two sets of normally open contacts 0 and P. It will be noted that contacts 0 are in parallel with the coin actuated contacts 86 and, therefore, constitute a lock-in circuit which keeps the relay 9B energized after the coin has passed through contacts 86. The contacts P on relay 98, when closed, actuate the solenoid 96, thus removing any previous score indicated by the lights 64. The ball release solenoid 10, being in parallel with relay 98, is also energized or deenergiz ed simultaneously with relay 98. Upon being energized, solenoid 10 opens the gate H, thus releasing the balls stored in region 69, Figure 4, and allows them to roll down the track 80. That portion of the track 89 designated i9 is designed to have a steep slope so that the balls can quickly get away from the to' pass through gate H before the leading .ball

reaches the switch arm 92. As the balls roll'down the track into region 82, the first ball'actuates' the switch lever 92, Figures 2 and 4, and all subsequent balls keep switch lever 92 depressed. In Figure 2 itwill be noted that switch 93. in its normal position maintains the circuit supplying energy to relay 98 and solenoid 10.- When: the leading ball depresses the switch arm 92 the contacts Q of switch 93 are opened, thus de-energizing relay 98 and solenoid Ill. As a resultpth'e lock-in circuit through contacts 0 is opened;'the clearing relay 96 is de-energized, and the arrester gate H closes. In addition, as the switch arm 92 is depressed, the contacts R are closed, thereby energizing the relay K, thus closing its contacts S. Closure of contacts S now makes it possible to actuate the ballserving motor 42 by means ofthe push-button switch 88. a

The apparatus having gone through the above sequence of operation is now ready for play. The player now presses the control button 88, thus energizing the ball serving or delivery motor 42. As soon as the motor 42 begins to operate, its switch 52, through switch control means 53, closes the contacts T, thus establishing a lock-in circuit across the contacts of push-button switch88 and contacts S of relay K. The motor 42 and its mechanism then goes through the cycle of lowering'its piston or plunger 22, Figure 6, receiving a ball from the track, raising the plunger through, tube 28, delivering of the ball to its putting posi-; tion at the top end of tube 20, and the opening of the contacts T, Figure 2, to stop the motor-42. The player may now putt'the ball onto the green l4, endeavoring to sink it through the hole 56, Figure 4, in order to obtain a score. Assuming the ball to drop through the hole 56, it will then be received by the funnel portion 58, Figure 4, which guides it into tube 60. By gravity the ball will roll down tube 60 through the counting mechanism 62 and into the storage region 69. As the ball passes the counting mechanism, the contacts 62, Figure 2, are momentarily closed, thereby energizing relay 94 and closing its contacts U. 'Clos mg contacts U energizes the counting solenoid 95, thereby stepping up the ratchet wheel 99 and 1ts attached switch arm, to the electrical contact for lighting the first score indicating lamp in group 64, Figure 2. For delivery of another ball to the putting position I8, Figure 1, the player again depresses the delivery motor push button 88 asrbe'fore.

Assuming the player fails in his attempt to sink the ball through the hole 56 in the green, such a ball lying on the green would be a hazard to succeeding putts. To remove such a ball lying on the green I4, a sweep motor 14, Figure 2, is provided with an arm 12 which sweeps across the green l4 in a degree are and returns to its original position automatically. The sweep motor 14, Figure 2, is actuated by the player as desired by pressing control button 89. As soon as the sweep motor 14 begins its sweeping cycle, the contacts V are opened by the motor mechanism and the contacts W are closed. Opening the contacts V de-energizes the counting circuit so that if the sweep arm 12, Figure 1, should cause a ball to drop through the hole 56, said ball would not be registered by the scoring mechanism. Closure of the contacts W completes a lock-in or holding circuit across contacts of push-button 89,

scthat'the. sweep motor will: of its own-accord go through its' complete cycle even though the but- 89 is pressed, onlyimomentarily." In theball clearing operation, the balls are swept'over the edge of the green to fall into the gutter around itstedge' and from there they are. guided directly m zthe storage region 69, thus by-pa h countingmechanism 62.

Each ball played eventually arrives in the stor-J age region 69, and after all 'availableballs have beentused once by'the player, it is then necessary: to: passanothercoin through the contacts 86 to againv preparethe machine for play as described above;

- Theaba-ll delivery control switch 93 is made to control the' operation of the ball delivery motor 42xso that the control button 88 will not actuate the motor" 42 unless balls are available at the lowersopen'ing of tubeZD. 'As long'as atleast one ball is depressing the switch lever 92-its con-' tacts R will? be closed and motor 42 can be put through its ball delivering cycle by momentary closure of the control button 88. Itmay appear that as the last ball" rolls off the switch lever 92' the motor 42' would be stopped, however, the holding circuit, :through contacts T, by-passes the contacts S of the relay K which is'de-energized uponopening the contacts R. Therefore, since the cycle of ball delivery begins with the plunger at the top of tube 20', contacts T will be closed when the piston 22 reaches the bottom of the tube and the last ball rolls off switch lever. 92 into the tube 20 and on top of the piston 22. In: otherwords, the last ball: of" the series will not disruptits own delivery cycle by opening contactsR of switch 93.

Itris believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that theinvention comprehends a novel construciton of a golf putting game device.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A golf putting gamedevice, comprising: a horizontal players platform; a horizontal object surface; a drive way connecting said platform and" said object surface and inclining upward from saidplatform to said object surface; a manually controlled electrically driven ball teeing device disposed below said players platform; an object cup in said object surface; an" electric counting switch disposed below said cup; visual means for recording balls counted by said counti'ng-switch; a gutter disposed on each side and the remote end of said object surface; collecting means for collecting balls passing through said cup or falling in said gutter; a ball delivery chute connecting said collecting meansand said ball teeing device; electrical stopmeans positioned" in said ball deliverychute to retain balls collected by said collecting meansuntil released by the; playerspgan electric interlock having a micro-.switch'positioned in said chute and operable-;by =action@of balls in said chute depressing said. switch, to'hold said ball teeingdevice inoperative until balls are available to said-device; said ball deliverychute having a lower and two side rods for supporting balls and having sharply inclined portions the area ofssaid stop means and' i'n' thearea' of said ball teeing device.

2. A. golf putting game device, comprising? ahorizontal pl'ayers platform; a horizontal. object surface? a drive: way-connecting said. platform. and said object surface andinclining upward from said pl'atforni to'said object surface; amenuallycontrolled electrically driven ball t'eeing' device disposed below said players' platformy 'an object cup in said ob'ject surface; an electric counting switch disposed below said cum-"visual means for recording balls counted by said counting switch; a. gutter disposed on each side and theremote end of said object surface; collecting balls. passing through said cup or falling in said gutter; a ball delivery chute connecting said oollectingmeans and said ball teeing device; electrical stop means positioned in said ball delivery chuteto retain balls collected by said collecting, means until released by the player; an electric interlock having a micro-switch positioned in said chute and operable by action of balls in said chute depressing said micro-switch; to hold said ball teeing device inoperative until balls are available to said device; and said. ball delivery chute having sharply inclined portions in the area of said stop means and in the' area of said ball teeing device.

- RALPH F. KOENER.

. REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of 'record in the file of this patent:'

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,582,237 Angeli "Apr. 27, 1926 1,667,481 Lange et al Apr. 24, 1928 1,779,541 Haynes Oct. 28, 1930v 2,110,925 Trangmar Mar. 15, 1938 2,248,316 Weber e July 8, 1941 2,259,916 Wheeler et al. Oct. 21, 1941 2,295,599 Moze1 Sept. 15, 1942 2,530,698 Hogeberg' -1 Nov. 21; 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS- Number Country Date 678,718 Germany July 20, 1939 

